Wine Capability Ambassador for Lion, Josh Forward was responsible for matching wine to the fabulous recipes on Masterchef and Masterchef Masterclass during the series so we thought you would be interested to read his top tips for wine matching.
Tip 1: If you are new to wine and food matching and find the thought of it a little bit daunting take the subjective approach. Match the wine you enjoy drinking the most with any food you are eating and chances are this match will work as it is determined by personal taste and preference. This may not be perfect in others eyes but indisputable in yours!
Tip 2: Make every meal an opportunity, The only way you will become comfortable with wine and food matching is by doing. This will build your confidence and give you some individual parameters for what works and what doesn’t.
Tip 3: Never discount a wine or match on the first attempt, it’s amazing how much better that Cabernet tasted with steak at last weekend’s dinner party than it did at your better halves work function! The environment you consume wine in plays a very important part in your perception of that wine.
Tip 4: Experiment, the only way the experts became supposed experts was by trial and error, don’t be afraid to get things wrong. I have come across some outstanding matches like pizza and Champagne just by experimenting. This makes wine and food matching fun, looking outside the norms and discovering for oneself.